A Viral Photo Sparks a Market Mystery
A puzzling image recently surfaced online, showing pallets stacked with MSI’s GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards inside China. The photo quickly went viral, causing confusion and speculation within the tech community. The reason for the surprise is that, due to U.S. export regulations, NVIDIA’s flagship RTX 5090 GPU is not officially sold in China.
Instead, the Chinese market is supplied with specially designed models called the RTX 5090D and RTX 5090D V2. These “D” variants are performance-limited to comply with international trade rules. The appearance of the full-powered, unrestricted RTX 5090 cards in China was a clear violation of these regulations, raising questions about how they got there.
MSI’s Official Statement: “Not Our Doing”
In response to the growing online discussion, MSI has released an official statement to set the record straight. The company firmly denies any involvement in the distribution of these cards within China. MSI clarified that it strictly follows international regulations and NVIDIA’s regional sales framework, and has never officially sold the standard RTX 5090 in the country.
So, where did these GPUs come from? According to MSI, their internal tracking data shows that the cards originated from overseas retail markets. They were likely imported by unauthorized third-party resellers through what is known as “parallel import” or grey market channels. This means the products were legally purchased in another country and then brought into China for resale without the manufacturer’s authorization.
The Big Risk for Consumers
MSI’s statement carries a significant warning for any consumers in China who might be tempted to buy one of these imported RTX 5090 cards. The company explicitly states that these units are outside its official supply chain and are not covered by any MSI warranty, quality control, or technical support.
This is a major risk for buyers. A graphics card is a high-value investment, and purchasing a grey market product means having no recourse if the card is faulty, damaged, or fails prematurely. MSI encourages consumers to protect themselves by only purchasing from its authorized partners, which in China would be selling the approved RTX 5090D models.
Also, Read
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By issuing this clarification, MSI aims to uphold its brand integrity and distance itself from the unauthorized shipment. The situation highlights the complex nature of global tech trade and the lengths to which enthusiasts will go to get their hands on the most powerful hardware, even when it’s not officially available in their region.
Source: MSI